Free Small Biz Marketing Resources

Business.com
http://www.business.com/

Business directory with over 10,000 vendors, a price quotes engine, and over 50,000 articles, guides, and whitepapers on business topics.

Business Owner’s Toolkit
http://www.toolkit.com/small_business_guide/sbg.aspx?nid=P03_0101

Thousands of pages of information and tools to help you start, run and grow your business.

SCORE
http://www.score.org/index.html

Templates, tools, free local mentoring, and more.

Startupnation
http://www.startupnation.com/Marketing/5/

Articles, blogs, audio podcasts, discussion boards, etc.

U.S. Small Business Administration
http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/manage/marketandprice/index.html

Your one-stop-shop for info on starting & managing a business, loans and grants, contracting, counseling and training.

Permission to Build?

The City of Sacramento's Community Development Dept. is initiating many changes to make the building permit process easier.  The "Sacramento Streamline Program" will happen in stages, over the next few months.

Improvements now available include an ePlan check, an express lane at the public counter, a solar flat fee, and a guide to electrical vehicle supply equipment permits for residential.

Upcoming changes include online project status and appointment scheduling, e-permitting, and creation of an expedited plan review process for pre-approved customers.

To find out more, visit http://www.cityofsacramento.org/dsd/customer-service/sacramento-streamline.cfm.

Get Connected - Stay Connected

Sacramento State offers FREE online career management services for employers.  You can post positions (full-time, part-time, internship, co-op, and volunteer), review online resumes, register for career fairs, and track career center events.

For more information, contact the Career Center at 916-278-6231 or visit www.csus.edu/careercenter.

Sacramento County Resources At Your Fingertips

Have you checked out the County of Sacramento’s website recently?  They have a wealth of free information for you.  The “Business Assistance” section features information About Sacramento, Business Development, New Business, and Economic Development.  The “Business Resources” section includes information about Business Operations, Building and Development  Services, and Restaurant and Food Facilities.  Visit http://www.saccounty.net/Business.

Just for California Businesses

The California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) is a not-for-profit organization that helps California businesses with complex laws and regulations.  Their CalChamber Store, which is open to nonmembers, has an extensive library of products to assist you.  This includes posters and reference books on many human resource topics such as employment law and sexual harassment prevention.  Find out more at http://www.calchamber.com/.

Going Postal

The United States Postal Service recently introduced improved features to make post office boxes an even greater value for customers. 

Did you know that you can now use the street address of a post office for your PO Box and benefit from the credibility of a street address for your business?  If you sign up for this feature, the post office will accept packages from private carriers that do not deliver to a PO Box.  These packages would be placed in a secure parcel locker, if available, for your convenience.  This service is especially important if you own a small business because you can now use a street address – not just a PO Box number – for your business.

The USPS also now offers Real Mail Notification ™ Services.  You can receive an email or text message each day you received new mail in your PO Box, Monday through Saturday. 

Additionally, you can have the post office keep your signature on file for signature-required mail and packages, including Express Mail ®, Insured Mail over $200 (including Electronic Return Receipt), and Signature Confirmation ™.  These items would then be placed in your PO Box or in a secure parcel locker for you to pick up at your convenience.  No more standing in long lines!

To find out more about these services, please visit your local post office and speak with a retail associate.

Small Biz Health Care Tax Credit

The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit, part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, is now available to California small business and tax-exempt employers that provide health care coverage to their employees. 

For the 2011 filing season, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is allowing a tax credit up to 35 percent of the health insurance premium costs that a small business incurred for insuring its employees.  This will increase to 50 percent in 2014.

More than 600,000 California businesses may be eligible for this tax credit.  Yours may be one of them.  For more information, visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov/sbhtc or consult with your tax preparer.

Green Cross Corp. Signs Florin Road Deal

As reported in The Sacramento Bee's January 26, 2012 edition, Green Cross Corp. plans to open a blood plasma collection center at 4333 Florin Road in March of this year.  They will be moving into the 10,000-square-foot building that was previously occupied by Bio-Medics and the California State Automobile Association.  Green Cross Corp. is a South Korean company that plans to eventually hire 40 employees to run the site.  

We Love February's Featured Businesses

Did you know that the Florin Road Property and Business Improvement District is comprised of nearly 500 businesses, representing more than 65 business categories?

Find out more about our merchants on the "Directory" page at http://www.florinroad.com/.  And be sure to check out each month's "Featured Businesses" flyer for profiles of our restaurants and retailers.

Upcoming Employee Turnover & 401(k) Seminars

Did you make a New Year's Resolution to learn how to manage your business better?  If you didn't, it's not too late!  Paychex is offering seminars to help you:

"The Cost of Employee Turnover" and "Tax Advantages of a 401(k) Plan"
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
In or near your local Paychex office
9:00 am to 12:00 pm (Continental breakfast will be served)
www.paychex.com/localseminars/
toll free 877-321-8581

"What Every Business Should Know About 401(k) Plans"
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Online:  2:00 pm to 2:45 pm ET
www.paychex.com/print/401k-seminar/

Where's The Beef?

Les Schwab is marking their 60th Anniversary with a Founder's Celebration and The All New Free Beef Promotion. 

Find out more at http://www.lesschwab.com/ or by visiting them at 5501 Florin Road, Sacramento (near Burlington Coat Factory and 65th Street).